A Journey Through Worlds
by Ammarice
Summary: Jocelyn's out riding when she zips to Tortall with only her horse...What happens? Who'll she meet? R&R plz! *I've changed Chap 1! Last Chapter Up!
1. Where is Everyone?

DISCLAIMER: I own everyone that you can't find in the books by TP.  
  
A/N Please! Don't flame me a lot! CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is okay- but please! No flaming like "It sucked." Or "I've heard better plot lines…" It was the easiest way to incorporate Tortall into my stories… Anywho… I would like at least five reviews before I write the next chapter so that I can have five peoples input.  
  
Chapter One: Where Is Everyone?  
  
  
  
It was the same as any other day during summer vacation. The sun was shining; the grass was green, the trees and flowers full of leaves and petals and in full bloom! Perfect to go out for a ride! Topaz whinnied in her stall and was trotting around the field while Flare cantered around the fields, whinnying at the top of her lungs. I knew that Flare would come as soon as she whistled, but Flare's energy could be a fearsome thing! Flare had jumped the fence before, what might stop her now? I whistled a two-note descending whistle. Flare stopped short, cocked her head, and leaped into the air! She whirled and galloped straight toward me. I froze with fear and stood still. Flare slowed to a canter as she came within ten yards of me and managed a trot within two yards. She slammed on her breaks and butted me with her nose at the fence. Flare tossed her head and waited for me clip on a lead rope and lead her out of the pasture where she was supposed to be grazing.  
  
"She'll hurt herself one of these days, you know that, right, Jocelyn?" called Jenny, my best friend and the owner of Topaz, the beautiful palomino.  
  
"I know, I know! But containing ones spirit is as bad as blowing out ones spark of life," I shrugged.  
  
"You speak too elaborately, you know that?" she shook her head.  
  
"Yup!" I grinned.  
  
"Are you ever going to get that placid and charming little horsy of yours to the barn and tacked up? Or will you be out here enjoying the sunshine all day?" Jenny smiled. Jenny had long black hair, smiling blue eyes, and bedazzling white teeth. Although we were both whites, I was part Spanish and she was a tiny part Chinese. I had Spanish and Hispanic blood while Jenny was Caucasian and Asian at the same time. Weird, I know!  
  
"Let's go in girl," I snapped Flare onto a lead rope and led the prancing masterpiece out of the pasture and into the barn. Flare was a purebred Trakehner, with bright red-chestnut fur and no markings anywhere on her powerful body. Flare was taller than most of her breed, at seventeen hands, and was just as strong as any other horse.  
  
Flare calmed down when we entered the barn, and stood still as I groomed her already gleaming coat. After she was groomed, I looked down the aisle and I saw the Jenny was already putting her saddle- a western saddle today, I saw- and grinned when she saw that I was slightly behind. I went to get Flare's western saddle and bridle. I exited the tack room and saw that Jenny was still tightening Topaz's girth. Topaz hated having that cloth band slowly tightening around her chest, but Jenny was careful not to ever let the girth be too tight or two loose. I lifted the saddle onto Flares back (with great difficulty, mind! Those things are heavy), and tightened the girth just as Jenny was starting with Topaz's bridle. I eased on Flares bridle faster than Jenny because Flares new bridle for western riding didn't have a nose strap, so I didn't have to tighten it. I tightened my helmet strap and checked that my chaps were on right before mounting up onto Flare. Jenny led Topaz out of the barn and mounted up quickly. I checked my saddlebags for the lunch that we had packed and some drinks, and looked at Jenny to see that she had the horse treats. When she nodded I set Flare to an easy walk. Once we were out on the trails we trotted and in the fields we cantered. We saw some good jumps set about here and there- a log, some branches, or a ditch. I easily cleared any obstacles on Flare. After about half an hour of cantering around the field we stopped for our lunch break. I pulled our saddlebags out of their hiding place underneath some leaves and small branches and pulled out sandwiches and soda's for us both to drink. I fed Flare some water from the brook and treats from Jenny's saddlebags.  
  
After we had rested and checked over the horses multiple times, I decided that a race was in order. "Hey, Jenny, let's try a race," I knew that Flare loved to race, but I'd been working with her a lot and she almost seemed to trust my judgement all the time now, and I thought that she was ready to be tested. Topaz wasn't really a racer of any sort, which is why we ever bothered to race at all.  
  
"Fine, but if you fall of Flare 'cause she bolted, it's your fault!"  
  
"Me? Fall? Off of this little firecracker? You must be joking," I rolled my eyes with sarcasm. I mounted up again and waited for Jenny. When Jenny was up I trotted Flare in a circle to ready her for the race, "First one over the ditch?" I called.  
  
"Sure," replied Jenny.  
  
We trotted along and when we reached the line Jenny had drawn in the ground we set our horses to steady canters. Flare pulled at the bit, I lightly checked her. She saw that I meant business and lengthened her strides a tiny bit and slowly pulling ahead of Topaz. Topaz caught the running fever and began to lengthen her stride too. As Flare couldn't go too much faster than what I was holding her to, Topaz caught up with us in no more time than about ten strides. We checked our horses and let them canter side by side. We reached the ditch. Topaz and Flare leaped into the air at the same and were sailing through the air when a great rush of air hit me. Wham! It scared Flare a little but she continued with the jump, but soon stopped after we landed. I looked around for Jenny she wasn't there. I realized that my surroundings had changed too, a forest now surrounded me. I looked for the ditch; it was gone. Jenny, Topaz, the field, the ditch- it was all gone and I didn't know where the hell I was. I slowly turned Flare around to go back the way we had come, but there was no ditch anywhere behind us either.  
  
I felt my breath catch I my throat. I was trapped wherever I was, and there was now way out. I scanned the trees; I heard a twig snap. I looked in that direction and I saw nothing. When I looked the other I saw five men forming a half-circle around me. I looked down at my jeans and chaps- where were my jeans and chaps? I was wearing a long, blue, velvet skirt that split into four lengths about six inches down my thighs. My top was a simple velvet belly shirt with no sleeves. It had that snip that was coming into fashion that opened the front for two inches. What the heck had happened? I also wore a narrow black belt over the skirt. On the belt was a dagger with blue steel and a few small pouches. I drew the dagger. Ready to fight these rough men.  
  
"Why are you out a lone, me little lady?" Asked the leader stepping forward, "Why do you draw that dagger, don't you know we just want to help you? We don't mean any harm, little lady," he coaxed.  
  
I glared at him, "If you were going to help me, then you wouldn't have crept up on me, now would you? I'm smarter and more educated than you are. Don't fool yourself."  
  
"What do you mean, my lady?" he questioned, bowing low.  
  
"We're to be your escort to Pirates Swoop!" Volunteered another.  
  
Pirates Swoop? That's in Tortall! How could I be there? I thought, "I'm going to Corus," I replied shortly, "There I just proved that you're here to loot what I have and to steal my steed, nice try boys." I put emphasis on boys in hopes that it would make them feel like I was calling them little kids.  
  
It did. The leader and then the others charged in, Flare reared offering her hooves to the nearest men, One struck the leader and he fell, the one who had also spoken tripped, and when Flare returned to the ground, he trampled the man. I sliced at the nearest man, who was trying to cut the girth on my saddle, I hit his arm with the hilt of my dagger and fell away; nursing the pain in his arm- I must've hit his funny bone. Flare took care of the next one who made the mistake of stepping to near to her flailing hooves. I cut at the next one who came near me. I caught his arm and he stepped sideways- into Flare's hooves, she knocked him in the side. The other man I had attacked before was up again so I kicked him in the head with my boot, and he fell over backwards- unconscious. The other man collapsed under Flare's hooves like the others.  
  
Flare tossed her head the fight was over. She snorted. I dismounted and looted the bodies. They had plenty of gold; I took that and put in the bags that had appeared with my outfit on Flare. I took their fine jewelry and rings. The leader had a very fine sword; it had the mark of a Raven on its hilt. I gasped- everything began to piece together. Corus- the Capital of Tortall in the books by Tamora Pierce- I loved those books. Pirates Swoop- where Lady Alanna the Lioness lived. And a Raven armory sword! I was in Tortall, a place created by Tamora Pierce!  
  
I listened to everything around me. Then decided to see what I had when I heard nothing. I had a map and a letter in the smallest pouch of my belt. In the others I had herbs and salts and small vials of liquids. One smelled perfectly horrendous, and I figured it must be wake-flower, because it cleared my head and made my senses sharp. I looked for a path of sorts, but found none. I looked for a thinning in the trees, however, and found a clearing over to the left of me. I mounted and rode towards, ready to draw my new sword. I arrived at the clearing, and found two paths leading out- or in. I took the path that led to the next thinning in the trees and then followed the path. For miles we walked and trotted and occasionally cantered. Eventually we reached a road; I saw a village and made my way towards it. It was a small village with huts and a few larger buildings. The streets were simple lanes of dirt, and the houses were made of simple clay walls with thatched roofs- nothing to be proud of. There were people everywhere going about their chores and waiting at the well, stalling chores, no doubt.  
  
I entered the village and dismounted Flare, who had her head high, sniffing the air for the smells being carried upon it. I walked up to the well where the most people had congregated, and saw that many were realizing that they had to get home soon, and left. Only a few remained. I walked up to the boy who hadn't even made a move to leave, and asked him, "What village is this?"  
  
"The village is on the northern fringe of the Royal forest, it'll take you a day to get to Corus, then you can find your way anywhere else," he turned away from me to continue his conversation.  
  
"Tell your mother that you're a rude brat, who needs manners taught to him," I mounted Flare and was about to continue my journey when the boy turned, and looked me over. I sat high on my mare, who shook her head and then arched her neck, looking down upon the boy.  
  
"Excuse me, girl?" He looked at me, not impressed at all with me. I flipped my hawks wing hair over my shoulder.  
  
"I said to tell your mother that you're a rude brat, who needs manners taught to him! Have her clean out you ears too, because you can't hear right,"  
  
"Listen, sweetheart, why don't you just climb off your high horsy, and I'll show you a good time. How about that?"  
  
"Bite me!" I then realized that that might be appealing to him, and waited for his response, I held one hand upon my dagger.  
  
"Where, darlin'? Just show me where, and you can consider it done."  
  
I unfurled my leg and kicked him in the nose it began to bleed. I looked him straight in his angry eyes, "You don't know who I am, but don't take every traveler you see as a whore." I spurred Flare into action; we would make it to Corus by dawn.  
  
We did make it to Corus- but it was a few hours after dawn. We entered through the gates and looked for an Inn; I wanted to find the Dancing Dove. After asking some questions I found the Dancing Dove and rented a room for the night. I slept for a few hours that day before a man opened my door and woke me up.  
  
"Girl! This is no time to be sleeping! You've work to do!"  
  
"No, I don't!" I replied irritably, still rubbing sleep from my eyes, "I don't work. And if sleeping turned into a line of work I never heard about it!"  
  
"Who are you?" he studied my face.  
  
"Who are you? Storming into my room! Have you heard of knocking?"  
  
"I asked you first!"  
  
"Leave me alone! Get out!" I ordered.  
  
Another man suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Trent, leave th' gal be! She knows nothin' atoll."  
  
"I know plenty about what I need to know, you ignorant maggots, now leave my room!"  
  
The new man walked over to me and looked me straight in the eyes; "Look here, lass! You need to lighten up. Trent thought you were someone else, he made a mistake. Now I think that you should apologize to us both for your bad manners."  
  
"Leave my room! That's the third time I've said that today! Leave! Now!"  
  
The new man suddenly grabbed me and held me in a hold so that I couldn't move, "Say something nice, lass!"  
  
"Let me go, and if you're trying to threaten me into thinking you'll kill me, I'll welcome it, if only to leave this place."  
  
"Fine, lass. My friends will find you later, than we can have a proper talk."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About who you are, where you're from, and what you're doing her, and why you don't have any work that brought you here."  
  
"If you weren't trying to kill me, then maybe that might happen," I let sarcasm drip from my voice, "And then we can sit down for an afternoon tea that we could interrupt with me being dragged behind a horse."  
  
"Would you honestly talk sense if I let you go?"  
  
"We'll never know, now will we?" I replied.  
  
"Fine," he grabbed my hands behind my back and forced me out the door, down the hall, and into another room. He sent Trent off to get food and drink. I asked the man who Trent though I was, as I sat in a chair in a corner. I looked at his accommodations. He had a gold mirror, silver candleholders, and other fineries. He seemed to be a thief, but a very good thief. And only the King of Thieves had such good furniture and jewelry. That or the Rogue was very prosperous of the late.  
  
"A lady of the Rogue, it's a good time to mingle with people at this time of day, when many are at the height in their shopping, and are being more careless. He figured that he had better get you up quickly or you would bring in nothing." Trent returned with two maids. The maids set down the food on the table and left, Trent left also to go gather some goods.  
  
"You're the King of Thieves, right?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, now may I ask the questions?" I glared at him, but nodded, "Do you own a pretty red chestnut?"  
  
"Yes," I said cautiously.  
  
"Then you'd better come with me because someone is trying to steal her." We crept out of his rooms through the window and landed on the ground. I whistled clearly. Flare reared higher as the men grabbed at her, and she trotted right up to me. "Well, lass, there's no fun in no fight. How boring of you!"  
  
"It saved my horse didn't it? Now let me at these vagabonds!"  
  
"Sorry, these are men who hate me, I get first attacks."  
  
I watched the thief draw his sword and run the nearest man through, blood came out on the sword and flowed heavily from the wound. The thief continued to slash at the men until all were on the ground bleeding. He inspected his work.  
  
"And I was hoping for a clean end to our dispute, too," the man drawled.  
  
"I'm sure you were," I nodded my head, my voice caught in my throat though- all those men. Dead- and by this man's hand.  
  
I watched him wipe his sword and then nod to me to bring my horse back into the barn. I brought her in and he helped me groom her and set her back in her stall. The day was already beginning to draw to a close so he let me go to bed without any more questions.  
  
^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_ ^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^  
  
When I awoke I was in my bed, and it was early dawn. I rolled over and was trying to sleep again when there was a knock at my door.  
  
"What?" I groaned.  
  
"I see you're awake, lass. What made you sleep so soundly, might I ask?" the King of Thieves asked.  
  
"I was overly tired, and I needed to rest."  
  
"I see," he raised his eyebrows, an almost smile upon his face. He shrugged now, "So, will you be wanting breakfast?"  
  
"Sure, food would probably make me feel better." I mumbled, and rubbed sleep from my eyes. After breakfast I was feeling better, and he proceeded with his questions from the night before.  
  
"Alright, lass, first of all- What's your name?"  
  
"Jocelyn," I replied.  
  
"Jocelyn…" his voice trailed off.  
  
"Jocelyn, you only need to know my first name."  
  
"Suit yourself, lass. I'll find out later anyway."  
  
"Whatever!" I groaned.  
  
"Don't get angry at me, lass! But I'm taking you to the Swoop," he said.  
  
"Pirates Swoop? Where Baron George and Lady Alanna live?" I questioned.  
  
"Yes, that's the one. Spend the rest of today resting up, and then tomorrow we'll go to Caynn, then south along the coast to the Swoop. Do you know a lot about Caynn?"  
  
"It's a day's ride from Corus, and it's a center for trading in Tortall," I answered.  
  
"Glad to see you know that. Now do you have any clean clothes?"  
  
"Yes, in my packs."  
  
"Alright then. Here's your today's schedule- bathe, dress, eat, entertain yourself, eat, sleep, get up early tomorrow morning."  
  
"Fine, order a bath then," I ordered.  
  
"It would be a pleasure," he said dryly, and left the room.  
  
He was nice, and he didn't press what I didn't want to tell him, but he wanted to know about my past. But mine was so different from everyone else's here. I was from another world; I knew nothing of these people! After a few minutes, some maids carried in a steaming bucket of water, and then left. I stripped off my old clothes- the velvet was in ruins now. I sunk into the bath and washed off the grit of just a day-, which was a lot. I bathed my hair the best I could and managed to find no lice- for which I was thankful. Once all the grit was gone from my body and hair, I stood up in the bucket and dried my upper body. Then I set it on the floor of my room and stood on, drying off my feet and lower legs, I wrapped my hair in the towel and placed on my underclothes and a new skirt. I pulled the towel away from my hair and brushed it out. When my hair was smoothly brushed and almost dry I put on a green velvet top to match the green velvet skirt. I searched for jewelry in my packs and found some necklaces, earrings and some nose rings. Also bracelets and anklets sat in with the other fineries. I placed a fine anklet upon my ankle and then inserted a nose ring and some earrings. I added a necklace. I looked very fine in my ornaments. I put them all away and looked for a book to read. I found a book but it wasn't fictional, it was a book of magic. I opened it up and searched for a spell that wouldn't do anything bad.  
  
There! The Wall of Power! I recited the words, and a wall formed before me, an odd jade color. I broke the spell, satisfied that I had the gift. I looked very closely at all my jewelry, mainly the necklaces. I found among them now bands that would go around my head better than my neck. I looked them over. I found one with a gem the exact same color as my magic. I looked for necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and rings- trying to find another gem like the one on the beaded headband. I found nothing.  
  
My stomach rumbled. I looked at my watch to see what time it was and only saw my bare wrist. I wondered how long I would be forgetting such luxuries as being able to tell time in a matter of seconds instead of looking at the sun's position in the sky and knowing in a few minutes. I looked out my window- almost like a prisoner looking out the window to see her knight riding to free her. I saw that the sun was nearly at the high point of the sky. Good, lunch time. I exited my room thinking about my Gift and of the jewelry and who I was probably supposed to be.  
  
I wandered down the stairs into the common room of the inn, everyone and everything became quieter than it was before, smoke drifted around, like a halo it gathered around me. I took a seat over by the nearest corner and ordered a small meal and drink. The King of Thieves trotted down the stairs and sat down next to me. I looked at him over my meal of pasta and salad.  
  
"You have very bad manners," I commented, selecting a morsel of lettuce.  
  
"I don't have to have good ones. I'm King here, whatever I say is law here, no one else has a choice in it," he shrugged.  
  
"I suppose you might say that," I replied, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Listen, Lady Sorceress, I'm the Rogue. This is the Rogue's place- where we meet and deal out a hard day's work. I can go wherever whenever here, except into honest peoples chambers because I respect privacy."  
  
"You don't respect mine very much. If I recall you and your friend are more than unwelcome in my room and you just walk right in." I gave him that said 'I don't believe you so out with the truth!'  
  
"Oh, but, there's always the exception, especially for pretty girls," he gave me a flirtatious smile.  
  
"How old are you?" I ordered frankly.  
  
"I'm older than you," he replied.  
  
"I noticed, you're getting a tinge of gray at your temples."  
  
"I am not! I'm about twenty," he shrugged.  
  
"Be exact, to the year, at least."  
  
"Fine! Lady Sorceress. I'm eighteen."  
  
"I knew that you weren't twenty yet."  
  
"How old are you, lass?"  
  
"Younger than you," I changed and then mimicked his words with a sly smile.  
  
"Be exact lass."  
  
"I was!" I let my face become a replica of a baby's innocence.  
  
"Gimme your years."  
  
"Then you might be more than twenty! Would you want that?"  
  
"Listen, lassie, you know you want to tell me."  
  
"No I don't," I shrugged, and took the last bite of my pasta.  
  
"Come on, now! At least fourteen."  
  
"Really? I look that young? Thank you!" I smiled, at his reprimanding look I sighed and told him my age; "I'm sixteen and a half."  
  
"I knew you were at least fourteen," he grinned.  
  
"I see," I stood, having finished my salad. I turned away and was about to leave when a thief with his knife drawn blocked the way out of the inn. I turned to the King of Thieves, still sitting at my table. "I want to go to the market and see what's for sale. Let me leave," I looked him, disbelieving him. He shrugged and sat back in his seat.  
  
"Fine, I'll join you."  
  
"Fine," I returned. I waited for the thief at the doorway and he led me out toward the marketplace.  
  
"Where do you want to go?"  
  
"To a bookshop and then to the main market to see what's for sale. And maybe to sell this sword," I gestured to the sword at my belt."  
  
"No one will believe that anyone would sell a sword like this. I'll take it and sell mine!" He pulled it from my belt and as I was about to protest held it to my throat and backed me into an alley. I followed whatever movements the sword made, being careful to keep away from it. "I see you don't wish to be harmed- that's good and bad. Now- don't take what I just did personally; it was a test to see how you deal with being threatened. But what I said about the sword is true so I'll hold on to this and sell my own sword. I also know the best bookshops in town, come right this way!"  
  
I didn't move, my body remained frozen against the wall. He reached out and touched my cheek. I flinched the second we were in contact but his touch was gentle and I saw that he hadn't meant to scare me so much. He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. I relaxed and he led me out onto the streets again. Down the street and we found a bookshop. I looked for books that were fictional- meant for the enjoyment of people! But all the books were on magic and history and ancient artifacts and people. I selected a book about the history of the Bazhir and bought it with money in one of the pouches at my belt. I went through the market yet I found nothing that I wanted to buy. When I got back to my room up in the Inn I was grabbed by the Rogue- although gently- and pushed down upon my bed.  
  
"Glad to know that you don't fight my every movement," he whispered, sitting down next to me on my bed, "I need you to relax a little I won't hurt you- you should know that!" he grabbed me gently around the shoulders: I shivered under his touch. "You have magic, Jocelyn, and you're very beautiful! With your long brown hair, and your black eyes, and you're skin! So silky," his hands moved down my back now, "so smooth, so tanned," he began to unlace my top. Now I shoved away from him.  
  
"I don't want to sleep with you! I don't even know you're name!"  
  
"Maybe I don't want to tell you just yet! Maybe you shouldn't know it for your own safety!" he whispered.  
  
"Fine," I replied.  
  
Then he pulled me toward him and kissed me. I tried to pull away but his arms held me there. When he broke off the kiss I slapped him.  
  
"Go away," I ordered.  
  
"Only to please my lady," he mocked. He bowed and left.  
  
I didn't sleep that night. All I could wonder was where my world had gone and where my friends were. I'd never gone out with a boy before, I'd gone in big groups of friends, and flirted, but I'd never gone out by myself- just me and the boy. Where was everyone? The question echoed around my head as I lay not sleeping. But I must have slept because I awoke to him shaking me lightly. 


	2. Love and Pirates Swoop

A/N cool lil writer/ assassin/ gohan's twin lil sis, M'cha, Stacey, and Northern Weathergirl- glad to hear you liked my story and no, Northern Weathergirl, I'm not getting an A+ in English, last quarter I was a getting an (shudders and braces self) (takes another deep breath) A-! Heaven forbid… I think I'm getting an A now though cause of my choice assignment grades: 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%… the list of those gets longer… Anywho, without further ado- on with the A/N! M'cha- Yes, eventually I think I will come up with a name for our pickpocket friend… Aer, I wasn't really thinking straight- I mean it WAS (I hate that word when I use it in a sentence like this!) vacation. I wasn't thinking a lot about the sword killing stuff… I uploaded a better version so tell me if you like the new version… Vampire Princess and Jacquie happy you liked it too! Alyse how could she be more surprising? Tell me!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own any character not found in the books by TP.  
  
Last Chapter: Jocelyn zips back in time, meets the Rogue, he comes on to her, and she finally falls asleep… When she wakes up the Rogue is shaking her to wake her up.  
  
"Jocelyn, lass, wake up, will you? We need to get going!"  
  
"Said the thief," I grumbled as I rolled over and turned my back to him, trying in vain to sleep more. He persisted to shake my shoulder, harder now. "Alright already! I'm up, I'm up!" I mumbled grouchily. He stopped shaking me and grinned at my scowl.  
  
"Nice to see you're a morning person! Now get up and eat, I want to be at Caynn by dinner!"  
  
"You want- what about what I want?"  
  
"What you want doesn't matter, it's what I want."  
  
"No, it's not," I glared at him, "Now go away why I'll dress."  
  
"You better not fall asleep again," he rolled his eyes as he walked out the door.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, I will!" I called to him.  
  
I rolled out of bed and brushed my hair and cleaned my face in a basin of water. Feeling better, I changed into fresh clothes that would be better suited for travel. I packed everything into my packs and left them in my rooms until I had had breakfast. As I was about to leave my room the thief appeared and thrust a roll into my hand. He bent over and selected on of my packs before turning and walking out the door. I grabbed the rest of my packs and followed him. He helped me place all my packs on Flares back and then tack her up before mounting his horse, a six foot tall, all black, and half drought horse beast.  
  
We rode through the streets of Corus and exited through the streets just as the gates were opening. We picked up a trot and trotted down the rode for a few miles. Flare's stamina was the fruit of long trail rides and rigorous training. When we slowed to a walk we walked for a few miles. Then back to a trot, then a canter. Suddenly the thief stopped short. Flare stopped beside his huge horse. I looked around for what he had heard. Suddenly an arrow whizzed between our heads. Flare started and reared until she was nearly straight up. I leaned forward on her neck, petrified. Without a helmet or any protective clothing I was dead. Flare went back down and bucked a huge buck. I jolted forward onto her neck. I focused on staying on Flares back as she bucked and reared her heart out. I drew my dagger when I saw a man running at me. The man slowed and Flare turned her back to him and bucked hard. He gave a yell as Flare's wild hooves connected with his chest. The man fell and as Flare stopped bucking for a moment I sheathed my dagger. The thief was cutting down the three men that had ganged up on him. I watched the determined look on his face as he cut at men, two on one side, and the third on the other. We went to the side with only one man working to undo the girth on the great beast. Flare reared and struck his shoulder. I froze in fear as she reared again to get the man away from her. The man fell under her hoof as it struck his collarbone. The thief ran a man through and cut the other ones throat. He nodded to me and we galloped off quickly. After about half a mile of running at a gallop we slowed to a walk and kept to that pace. The thief was wadding up his shirt against a cut in his arm.  
  
I remembered the Wall of Power I had created the night before and my magic. I pondered this and thought for a moment. "I think I can heal," I said.  
  
"Don't try it unless you know how. Otherwise it could be dangerous," he didn't seem interested in either of us dying because of my magic.  
  
"Fine, bleed to death!" I snapped.  
  
"I didn't know you cared. If you use your magic, and you use it- incorrectly- then we're all dead."  
  
"Well then I guess I'll never use it at all. What if I use a spell?"  
  
"You'd make up a spell? It would drain your magic and probably you. This wound isn't that bad but for someone not in control of their Gift- it could be large enough to kill you." He looked at me and saw that I was willing to try. I hadn't realized that I had feelings for him. Nothing great, but I cared for him and being stuck in this world without him would make it empty and much scarier.  
  
"I'm willing to try."  
  
"Fine, you make a spell and I'll review it."  
  
"Whatever," I set my mind to creating a spell exactly for this purpose. Mend the skin mend the bone. Stop the bleeding end the pain. Heal the muscle heal the vessel. Make the injured well again. That sucked. I knew that it ought to work. It was half an hour later that I decided on using this badly put together spell. "Give me your arm." I ordered. He lifted his arm and held it out to me.  
  
"Mend the skin mend the bone.  
  
Stop the bleeding end the pain.  
  
Heal the muscle heal the vessel.  
  
Make the injured well again!"  
  
My power flowed out of my hands and soothed his skin. The blood vessels in his arm sealed over and the muscle became whole. The bone chips slipped back into place on the bone. And the skin closed over the wound. No scar remained on his skin. He flexed the muscle in his arm and tested its strength. He nodded in approval.  
  
"Not bad," he continued to nod, "pretty formidable work," he shrugged.  
  
"I can reverse that spell you know!" I growled angrily.  
  
"Really? I'm sure you can."  
  
I turned away from him and trotted ahead. I rode as far from him as I could. But I couldn't get rid of him. We reached Caynn later than the thief would've liked, but he took me through the streets of the city and into a large house. There a few thieves greeted us and two led me up the flight of stairs to a room. I found it comfortable and when the door opened and the thief appeared in the doorway I rolled over on the bed. "They put you here? This is where I sleep." He turned to the two snickering thieves behind him. "I could take an ear or two for this, you know that, right?"  
  
"Oh, Aye, boss, we just figured that you was more than friends."  
  
"Well we're less than friends!" I snapped from the bed.  
  
"Silence, lass."  
  
"Why? I'm being dragged from every end of Tortall to the other!"  
  
"Silence," the thief repeated.  
  
I glared at him and rolled over on the bed, away from the thieves. They talked and talked and argued and discussed. Finally I feel asleep and when I woke up I was in a new room, completely alone. The new room was much smaller and less grand. It contained a small bed, which I had been sleeping upon, a small dresser with only three shallow drawers in it and a fireplace with a small chair in front of it. I sat looked for my packs. They sat by the door. I changed quickly and exited my room. The thieves were talking and laughing, enjoying breakfast, no doubt.  
  
I slipped down the stairs and leaned against the doorframe to the Kitchen and waited. After a minute silence fell and everyone was looking at me. I realized what everyone must think of me, a young sorceress with no past to be told, a mystery child. "So kind of you to wake me before you dined." I drawled, "What's for breakfast?"  
  
"Whatever you find," one of the smaller thieves replied, helping himself to some ale. He received a glare from the King of the Thieves.  
  
"Lady Jocelyn, our Sorceress present, meet some of the rogues in Port Caynn. Thieves, Lady Jocelyn," the man introduced.  
  
"Do you charming rogues happen to the ugly ones name?" I asked, a picture of innocence.  
  
"Keeping it a secret, eh, Majesty?" the small thief replied.  
  
"Call it that if you will, Yull," the King replied.  
  
"When will we leave here?" I asked.  
  
"Tomorrow," he replied.  
  
"How nice," I turned and went back up to my room.  
  
After a few hours I had organized all my clothes and everything I had neatly into my packs. I had made my bed and the room was in perfect condition. I was coming back from relieving myself when the King of the Thieves stepped up behind me and grabbed me from behind. I looked up at him, for some reason I wasn't surprised or scared. He smiled and kissed me on the lips.  
  
"So nice to see you again! We thought we'd lost you in your room up there."  
  
"Well you didn't sadly enough." I replied tartly.  
  
"Oh, so sweet? I thought you might like to go shopping in the market…" he let his voice trail off.  
  
"We both know that you steal more than you buy."  
  
"I'm the King of the Thieves, what do you expect?"  
  
"Nothing more than what I've gotten already."  
  
The King shrugged and looked down at me again; I was still in his arms. "Now, about the shopping…" he smiled at me.  
  
"Fine." I said.  
  
He let me go and strolled out the door. Together we walked through the city. The thief stole food for us to eat, a book, some jewelry, and a dagger. After a few hours we had purchased (at my insistence) some clothing for me to wear. When we returned to the house it was mid afternoon, so we organized what had been stolen. The thief kept the dagger, but I got all the jewelry. A few finely beaded and silken headbands, a few necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, and rings. There was some of everything. The book was for me though, he said, it was a book on the history of magic and famed sorcerers and philosophers. I opened it to the first page and began to read it. I couldn't put the book down. I read late into the night by candlelight. When I heard a soft knock at the door I only mumbled "Come in." before returning to my book. The thief entered and closed the book. He smiled wryly at me.  
  
"That good, lass?" he asked.  
  
"I couldn't put it down," I shrugged my shoulders and smiled slightly.  
  
"We're off to an early start tomorrow, you'd better get what sleep you can," he placed the book on the bedside table.  
  
"Whatever." I stood up from the chair and my legs crumpled beneath me. The King caught me before I hit the ground.  
  
"I see your legs no longer work, into bed!" He lifted me up and dropped me onto the bed. I pulled the covers up and fell asleep after no more than a few seconds. I didn't feel his hand brush my hair out of my face.  
  
^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^ ^_^  
  
I awoke early the next morning after a small breakfast of a butter roll I was set to go. We traveled throughout the entire day without speech, as if he were pondering something. We stopped for nothing except ten-minute rests to eat and drink and refresh our horses. I watched the thief a majority of our journey that day. I had never noticed how strong he was. Those relaxed muscular arms. I had never noticed how handsome he was. His short dark hair, a few shades darker than my own, but narrowly so, his handsome gray eyes that had spots of blue, green, and brown slurred in. His nose- not too large for good looks- like Baron George. His lips were perfect, and his teeth were straight. He was so handsome! Just imagine- I stopped my thoughts. What was I thinking? He was two years older than I was! How could I have thoughts about him? I mean, this man was bending me to his will by forcing me to travel to the Swoop. I considered the fact that I could've run off whenever I wanted, or exposed him. I realized that he wanted something from me- and it wasn't what I had thought. He wanted love. Flare felt my muscles become tense and she stopped short, turning her head to look at me inquisitively. I smiled at my concerned mare and nudged her on. The thief hadn't noticed we'd dropped behind. As the sun set we continued our journey. The Swoop was near, and it would take only another hour or so to arrive there.  
  
We were greeted and ushered inside, and soon we slept. I awoke again and went to find some breakfast. I saw the thief eating silently and sullenly at the corner of the table, as if in a trance. He pondered Mithros knew what while I pondered my feelings for him. I considered everything. He was handsome, a check in the love column- I had always been attracted to handsome men with muscles. He was kind and generous, even for a thief, another check in the love column. He was a thief, a check in the no way column. This man was dangerous and cunning, quick upon his feet and hands and weaned on treachery. At least three checks in the no way column. He had spent money on me rather than steal something for me- that meant something, especially from a thief. The score was three on love and four on no way. The man had protected me and scared me half to death. He'd flirted with me and kissed me, he'd saved my horse and myself, one check in the love column. The man had tried to take me to bed and her had forced me to sleep the night before last. No check to either, they weighed out evenly. He loved me, or so it seemed. I considered this. He was very dangerous, but if he loved me and I had just found feelings for him- shouldn't we at least make it to first base? I asked myself. He stood and left the room, I finished as quickly as I could and I had to trot to catch up. I reached over and touched his arm, he looked at me, startled to realize he was traveling with me.  
  
"What're you thinking about?" I asked softly.  
  
"Nothing," he mumbled.  
  
"You rode in trance all of yesterday, and we both know you're thinking about something!" I told him, trying to wheedle it out of him.  
  
"Nothing," he repeated.  
  
"Do you love me?" I asked him.  
  
This truly startled him, and he stared at me searching my face. After a minute he nodded a few times. "Yes," he whispered, I could hardly here him he spoke in so small a voice. "Do you love me?" he asked, projecting his voice slightly more.  
  
"I think I love you. I've never been in love before, I don't know how it feels." His face, which had risen slightly, fell quadruple that. I hated his pain, "I know something," I comforted, "when I think of you I feel warm inside, I feel protected, I feel something I know I've never felt before. Although it scares me I don't run from it, I embrace it." This got him almost smiling.  
  
"I feel that when I so much as glance in your direction, but I don't feel protected, I feel the need to protect. As though you were the last petal on a flower, that mustn't fall off the flower."  
  
"What happened to the other petals?" I asked; referring to what I thought might be other girls he may have loved.  
  
"Petal." He corrected, becoming more solemn than I had ever seen before. "She played with my heart as she pleased. Some days she loved me profusely, others she thought I was lesser than an insect. I loved her, but every time she withdrew it seemed to tear my heart. After the few times the petals began to fall, and when I left her I hardly broke her heart. My anger allowed me love out of spite for her, but when I see you more flowers grow." He looked me in the eye, "A man of mine heard you ask directions to the Dove, and he knew you weren't from here or anywhere nearby. You could be a Carthaki, from your looks. But you're not; you don't have the accent or the distinct looks of a southerner. He came straight to me and I knew I had to meet you. And now I know why. To teach me love again."  
  
Our eyes caught the others and we suddenly lost control. One moment we were standing on the beech near the sea and the next we were kissing- or rather, making out. We embraced the other and broke apart for small periods of time. After not more than five minutes though, we remember ourselves and stopped. We instantly stepped apart and blushed bright red. We heard a cheer and a whistle.  
  
"Bravo," Lady Alanna strolled down the sandy bank. "I'll say nothing," she vowed. "The King here says you've got magic." She paused looking directly at me. She suddenly broke off her gaze, "Strong, he's right." She nodded to the thief. " Would you like your things moved to his rooms?" she questioned.  
  
I glared at the woman, whom I hardly knew; "Didn't she just say 'I'll say nothing'?" I grumbled.  
  
Alanna grinned and shrugged, "I thought it might be more enjoyable for you."  
  
I now remembered that I would leave him when I went back to my world. I ran back to the castle and hid in my room. The thief said nothing to me as I ran from him.  
  
I let tears flow when I reached my room, I watched the King of the Thieves and Alanna talk, and called wind to me so I could hear their conversation, it bent to my will.  
  
"What's her problem?" I heard Alanna ask.  
  
"She doesn't know who I am and she won't tell me of her past," he answered.  
  
"Why won't you tell her your name?"  
  
"She'll know who I was and who I am," he answered.  
  
"If she loves you it won't make a difference!" Alanna snapped.  
  
The thief stopped, and turned to Alanna, "If she knew who I was than she wouldn't love me as I love her and then where would my heart be? It's like being surrounded by banshees Alanna! I can't take it!" He yelled, I wouldn't have heard him without the wind bringing the conversation to me though.  
  
"You're part immortal- she won't care! You're part human- she won't care! You're probably part god or whatever- she won't care if she really loves you!" Alanna screamed.  
  
The thief didn't reply, and he stood next to Alanna for a minute.  
  
"Do you think so?" he whispered, the wind brought the words to my ears as a shadow.  
  
"I know so- but I'm not saying that she does love you truly, all I'm saying is that if she does she'll still love you." Alanna left him standing there. I turned away from the window and stopped the breeze bringing words to me and I thanked it.  
  
After barely twenty minutes the thief entered without knocking and he sat by my window. "Do you love me?" He ordered.  
  
"I heard the conversation," I stated, "What are you?"  
  
His face showed anger, but softened to understanding as he thought over my action. "I'm human, immortal, and not god at all." He whispered. "Ozorne, the old Emperor of Carthak, slipped over seas a few months before the peace talks. He impregnated a young woman and left her. I'm his son, but it hardly shows. My immortal side, well my mother wasn't any normal woman; it was actually a Stormwing in the shape of a human. The Stormwing remained in that shape until I was born and then left me in the Lower City of Corus, and I became who I am. Tarrien of the Lower City, King of the Thieves of Tortall and the son of a certain Stormwing Queen Barzha and Ozorne, a currently dead human who was a Stormwing during the last year or two of his life." He shrugged and looked me over.  
  
"Are you a Stormwing?" I asked.  
  
"I'm part-" he began.  
  
"No!" I stopped him, "Answer the question; Are you a Stormwing?"  
  
"No, not completely."  
  
"Are you an evil Carthaki Emperor?"  
  
"Far from it."  
  
"I don't think it would be easy for me to love a Stormwing, I don't think I could. I could never love Ozorne, and although you are your parents' son, I still love you! You aren't them; they aren't you! You are you! They are themselves! I love you, not them!" I convinced him with a soft kiss.  
  
"Thank you," he breathed.  
  
"For what?" I implored.  
  
"You've shown me that you can love me for who I am, rather than what I am," he suddenly grinned devilishly, "Take your things and move into my rooms, let's go." He grabbed up my bags. I smiled recklessly and grabbed what was left. We spent the rest of the night doing what we wished in his rooms. We did nothing to endanger my virginity- I didn't know if he was or not-, but we hit second base without a problem. I wore only a breast band and a sort of loin cloth as did he, and we lay in his bed, making out but never even thinking about doing more.  
  
He seemed to know I wasn't ready and that I didn't want to go that far, and he respected it by going only as far as I could go. We spent our time at the Swoop in a happy blur of bliss. I was tested for magic more thoroughly and taught how to use it better. I rarely thought of my home, but when I did I got homesick and scared. Not to mention sick to my stomach. I knew I had to go home, but how- I hadn't the slightest idea. 


	3. A Noble Sacrifice

A/N- This is the last chapter, sadly. Terribly sorry if you were thinking it was good. I'm not good at writing stories over long periods of time, short bursts and tiny little stories. Hope you enjoy it though, sorry it's shorter than the others are, but I was expecting it to be only three, but it turned out to be four on my computer! Yay for me! Anywho, hope ya'll enjoy your read, and if they're any mistakes, I hope you figure them out, just e-mail me at ammarice@yahoo.com, ok? Thanks!  
  
DISCLAIMER: I own any character not found in the books by TP.  
  
Last Chapter: Jocelyn and her thief friend travel to the Swoop, on their way to Caynn, before the Swoop, they run into robbers. They get to the Swoop and decide that they really truly love each other, although they don't 'do it'.  
  
Chapter Three: A Noble Sacrifice  
  
ONE YEAR LATER:  
  
Tarrien and I fell so deeply in love it was insane. But he seemed to know that my past was something that would bring us apart, now that we were together, so he never questioned it. We stayed at the Swoop for a few more days, and my skills with my Gift were honed to perfection. I could heal as well as Lady Alanna, perhaps better, she said, and I could make things grow and I could call light. I learned a lot being at the Swoop. Tarrien and I traveled back to Corus, where we lived together. I often went down to the Swoop, Caynn, and even a few times to the desert city Persopolis. We enjoyed that year together, just him and me, me and him- life was blissful, as is ignorance. I was forgetting about my old life, I was worrying about problems between here and the Southern continent. I began to worry about things I shouldn't have been worrying about. Tarrien asked me to marry him when I turned seventeen, and I agreed. We married down at the Swoop, with Lady Alanna and Baron George and everyone down there. I lost myself in everything that happened in Tortall, I left my truer self behind in America. We had a child; her name is Emily Jocelyn. Only an infant, with lovely dark brown hair, like me, black eyes and dark skin, slightly lighter than mine. Tarrien had insisted that she have my name, as though he knew that some day I would not be there. That had reminded me of my past. I had cried slightly when I thought that I would be leaving him and my daughter behind. Little Emily is a wonderful artist, playing in the mud after a rainstorm, drawing pictures in the mud. Emily loves Flare, my mare, and Tarrien and I take her on trips down to the Swoop to visit Lady Alanna. Once we got to see Numair Salmalín and Lady Daine. They were very nice, not to mention very odd and magical. Daine talked to Flare and found out many things about what I could to make my riding better. Unlike me, Flare remembered our past all too well, and she wanted to take riding lessons and be with Topaz, her best friend. I missed Jenny a lot, but I didn't think about her a lot because I was always so busy. I had never imagined falling in love, getting married, or having a little girl just yet. I had imagined waiting until I was in my mid twenties to have a baby. Trouble was stirring once again. I heard news of a certain Page Keledry, a girl Lady Alanna stormed off and refused to even think about going to Corus. Tarrien and I lived there while troubles broke out. We heard of the girl-pages triumphs and failures. And Tarrien kept in contact with the servants at the castle. We learned much of what was going on. I went to the palace every day to begin some work as healer. I learned more about my magic and I was often set to mixing balms and potions and vile healing liquids. I brought in some actual money- five silver crescents a day, which slowly amounted to Galleons. As the state of the realm slowly worsened, I began healing for real. The man in charge of the infirmary (I never met him, because I was considered a commoner) put me to work healing people, the least cases. As the workload expanded he put to harder and harder tasks. One day, when I was put to a person who needed to have a sliced muscle healed, I decided I wasn't needed. So I took my pay and I didn't come back the next day. Tarrien decided we needed a vacation, because I wasn't spending time at home anymore- home being the inn. We had been growing every so slightly and slowly apart since I began to work, and my brain denied it while my heart suffered. We went down to Persopolis to visit the beautiful city. I talked with the Bazhir about their history. Tarrien and I enjoyed many exciting nights there, and we then journeyed back to Corus with little Emily in tow. Emily grew, and grew, until she was able to stand and totter along. She smiled, and laughed, and giggled. Emily learned to speak tiny bits of conversation, as she became a year old. 'Mama' and 'Papa' were her first words, I had been so happy when she learned to speak. Another year passed, and Emily learned more and she grew, both physically and mentally. Tarrien said she looked just like me. We knew that troubles were rising more and more. It was on a trip to the Swoop that we got the first encounter. We were traveling down the road, walking along, so long as Emily slept. Three Spidrens leapt out of the woods. Tarrien fended them off pretty well, while I did my best with my magic to ward them off from Emily and myself. I used my magic to kill them, and it was an unpleasant feeling. But I knew that the cause was right, which was the only thing that kept me from fainting. I protected little Emily, but Tarrien was injured pretty badly by ones clawed arms. We rode swiftly to the Swoop, and little Emily awoke to cry most of the way there. Once we were safe within the walls of the Swoop I healed Tarrien, he needed healing, he had lost a lot of blood. Slowly the life seemed to come back into him. His scrapes and scratches disappeared while the worst of his cuts stopped bleeding. The muscles that had been severed in places became whole. Baron George greeted us with a wry smile. "It seems you two are always visiting," he sighed, "And that's why we have a room staked out for you. Alanna isn't in though, she'll be very busy, very, very busy what with the Immortals laying waste to our fair country," I had always noticed that George spoke much like Tarrien. I wondered if George had once been a commoner, it was possible that he might have been common, and then benobled. He probably had been a commoner, and then benobled, he spoke that oddly, to proper nobles. George and Alanna were anything but proper, in my opinion. But they were both quite kind, and that was something to me. We stayed at the Swoop until Tarrien was fully healed and his health restored. For the first time I finally got to meet Their children, Thom and the little twins, Thom was ten or eleven, by the look of him, and the twins looked to be only seven or eight. Thom had red hair as opposed to the blond twins. "I'm going to the palace to train to be a page next year!" Thom told me excitedly, "I was too young to go this year, so I get to go next year! And I'll be one of the oldest first years there!" I had smiled at his enthusiasm. Thom apparently didn't realize that he'd probably be expected to do as well as his mother. "When I become a knight, I'm going to help mother slay the evil Immortals, and we'll be helped by the good!" Thom seemed to realize exactly what was happening in the realm. The realm- I thought of my home in America, in the United States of America! A fresh wave of homesickness overcame me, and Thom must have seen it because he said, "What's wrong, Lady Jocelyn?" he asked me concerned. "I was just thinking about my home," I told him softly. "Where did you come from?" he asked eagerly, excited to hear about new lands. I knew that I could hardly tell him about my world, about electricity, television, computers, rap, rock- my kind of music in general. He wouldn't understand my world. Cars, fast food, hamburgers, and veggie burgers- different means of transportation and food, not to mention different kinds of stuff. Electronic battery-powered watches and clocks, batteries too, he wouldn't know what they were or how they worked. He wouldn't understand gymnastics, football, soccer, baseball, basketball, hockey, roller blading, skate boarding! He wouldn't understand horseback riding lessons, and jumping competitions, not to mention dressage- in fact people who are used to the idea don't get it. I settled on an answer that might provoke more questions, but vagueness would settle Thom's inexhaustible curiosity. "Far away, Thom, far, far, far away." I told him, staring off into the distance, thinking about what I'd be doing right now if I was in my world. I wondered if I'd been marked down as a missing person, or if I was presumed dead by murder or something. "What was it like there?" Thom asked, some how I'd had the feeling he might ask that. "It was beautiful, with open meadows and huge mountains. Huge cities, larger than Corus and Caynn, even Carthak in the south." I laughed suddenly. "What's so funny?" Thom ordered. "All of the cities I mentioned start with the letter 'C'." I explained the joke to him, Thom didn't seem to think it was all that funny, but he laughed slightly anyway. "Thom, leave Lady Jocelyn alone," Baron George called to Thom, "she has enough to do without you pelting her with questions!" " 'Enough to do', Baron?" I asked, standing up from the sandy beech where Thom and I had been conversing. "Little Emily is crying her heart out, time you put her back to sleep, no one can get th' little thing to be silent for more'n a second!" George explained. "I see," I told him, and I set off for the castle. "Good luck!" he called after me. I turned, and walking backwards, I laughed. "Oh, lass, ya laugh now, but wait until you're in little Emily's room, you'll go right deaf!" he shouted after me as I retreated out of the wind. "I'll laugh at you later, once I've gotten little Emily to sleep," I told him, yelling as well to make myself heard by the Baron and little Thom. When I did make it into the castle, I ran into Tarrien, who was pelting around, looking for something, by the frantic look on his face. "There you are!" he shouted, when he saw me entering the castle, heading up to the nursery, "You've got to quiet that child of yours!" he told me. "My child, hmm? I thought she was yours as well," I teased as I trotted on up the stairs. He rolled his eyes and followed me on up the stairs. "You can joke about such things, but you have a gift with that little 'un!" he told me indignantly. "Yes, I can. While you must suffer under our child's wrath," I told him my tone partially sarcastic. Tarrien opened his mouth but in the end seemed to decided against speaking. We finally reached the nursery, where Emily was balling out sobs to her little hearts content. "Shh! Shh, little one, mommy's hear now." I picked her up and carefully carried her over to the changing table. I took off her old diaper, and found that it was soiled. I cleaned her up and put on a fresh diaper, and in the meantime she stopped crying. She began to make noises again until I fed her, then she fell asleep. "I think we should go back to Corus by the end of next week." Tarrien said as we left the nursery, which was now quiet and peaceful. "I was planning on leaving tomorrow, Tarrien," I told him. "Tomorrow, eh? Fine, the sooner the better, then we get someone to look after her," he said, glancing over his shoulder at the closed nursery door. "Tarrien, you're twenty, you're getting a touch old to be a thief, why don't you look after her?" I said, my mind flashing back to my world again, I myself was eighteen now. "Don't say-" Tarrien began. "We both know its going to happen, it always does," I whispered, a tear leaking out of my eye. "But what if we don't let it?" he whispered back. "It will, you know how dangerous the world is right now, there's a way to unleash the immortals, there's a way for my past to catch up with me. We both know that, if it doesn't than the books are all wrong, if it does, it's not the end of the world. Just promise me you'll look after Emily and see that she goes to school and learns." "She will go to school, but, promise me you won't seek your past!" he sounded desperate. "Never, I don't want to go away," I told him.  
  
We left at dawn the next morning, and that's when we had the second encounter. Some raiders surrounded us, and attacked us. We were easily outnumbered, at ten to two, not counting Emily. Six of them went onto Tarrien; four onto Emily and I. Flare reared and attacked, scared. I drew my dagger and, holding Emily in one arm, killed, I loved Emily and Tarrien enough to kill for their lives. One of the men on Tarrien was a Bowman; he stood back, waiting for a clear shot so he didn't kill his own men. Tarrien had already killed five of them, but he was bleeding and wounded, and he was only still alive because the bowmen hadn't attacked yet, because one of his men was in his way. I threw myself from Flare, running to Tarrien. Everything in my world suddenly seemed to come in slow motion. I knew Emily was safe on Flare. I saw Tarrien raise his knife, the raider held up his hands, knowing he was about to be killed. I saw Tarrien raise the knife, and slowly bring it down into the mans chest. I watched the mans eyes glaze over, and he slumped to the ground. The bowmen took quick aim and shot, aiming straight for Tarrien, but he didn't see. Tarrien only saw me, and I knew that he would realize the arrow too late. I threw myself in front of him, the arrow pierced threw my skin, I felt the pain, and the world speeded up again. Tarrien drew a dagger and threw it, hard, I heard it thud, as I felt the arrow, push itself deeper through my body as I slipped down to the ground. "Jocelyn!" Tarrien shook me; I felt his tears landing on my clothing as he wept. "Jocelyn, you said you wouldn't leave me! Jocelyn!" he cradled my body in his arms, and I knew I must give him my final message. "I'll never leave you." I croaked, it was hard to speak. "Emily, let Emily remind you of me," I whispered. "Emily? She's a babe, how can she be you?" he asked, hysterical. He didn't understand! How could make him understand? "Let me live on in Emily," I murmured, "You said. Emily." my voice was failing me, "look.like.me!" I finished, struggling. "Emily? No one can replace you!" he roared, his tears still falling thick. "Emily. not. replace." I struggled onward, I saw bright light, as though the sun were high in the sky, and I heard a different voice, Jenny's, I realized! Was Jenny already dead, welcoming me into heaven? How could two different worlds share the same heaven when they had different gods? "Emily. remind. of. me." I slowly reached up and touched his face, seeing it for the last time, "I'll. love. you. always." I felt his hand holding mine in place, against his cheek, as if he thought it would keep me alive. I knew it wouldn't. "Think. me. often." I whispered, and I felt my body stop working. I watched Tarrien through the eyes of my spirit, crying over my body. And I suddenly felt myself come alive again, I took in a deep breath. "Jocelyn! Hello?" called Jenny's all-too-familiar voice. "Hmm?" I asked, sitting up. I was no longer in my clothes from Tortall, I was in my riding clothes from that day so long ago, wait a minute- it was that day! I realized. My memory became so fuzzy. "God, don't fall off Flare like that and scare me to death! I thought you might've died!" Jenny screeched, Flare snuffled at me, and Topaz stood, eating nearby. "It's not nearly as scary as that dream I just had." I muttered. "I'm sure," Jenny said, hovering over me ever so slightly. "I'm fine, and no telling anyone I fell off!" I barked at her. "Tell me about that dream then," she said, giving me a leg-up into the saddle. Jenny had always been taller than me, so she easily mounted up onto Topaz without needing help. I told her the entire dream, and she found it kind of funny, not as serious as I had, but when I got to the end, she didn't find it so funny. "So you're telling me that you went back in time and through worlds, met this guy, found out that you had powerful magic, learned to use it, got married, had a baby, spent two years there, then sacrificed for your husband?" Jenny asked, completely skeptical. "I told you, it was a dream," I told her. "Dreams last a few seconds, even in them, you only think its a few minutes at the max, but a few years? And falling that deeply in love? You have the world's weirdest dreams! You ought to turn that into a book for the English fantasy/fiction short story." Jenny told me. "I think I will, and I think the main character will be you," I teased. "You had better not!" Jenny fumed. "Oh, I will!" I said, grinning. "You wouldn't dare!" "Yes I would!" I giggled. "I'll put you as my main character then!" she replied. "Enjoy!" I told her.  
  
And we lived happily ever after, and in my dreams at night I found myself watching Tarrien raise up Emily, sending her to schools, and she married a nobleman, and became a truly loved member of the Tortallan court, or so my dreams say.  
  
The End 


End file.
